Damaged
by amber1533
Summary: *Spoilers for Season 3x14 "Damaged"** JJ received a call from Haley, who knows the only way to her husband is through the Media Liaison, how does JJ react when she finds out Hotch is acting out?


**A/n: I don't own Criminal Minds, no copyright infringement was intended. All rights belong to their respective owners.**

"Well...this is turning into some morning." JJ said dryly as she answered her ringing phone. "Mrs. Hotchner?"

Penelope Garcia sat across from her best friend trying to hear what the other woman on the line was saying. She heard the loud yelling but couldn't make out the words. Although Jennifer Jareau seemed to have the patience for it, Garcia would have probably yelled right back.

"Yup, well okay, if I can get a hold of him, Prisons have really bad cell—okay." JJ's eyes widened to Garcia as she felt the need to explain.

"That is one pissed off woman. She can't get a hold of Hotch."

"Why would she call you?" Penelope tried to force back the small smile that tugged at her mouth. She knew the reason Haley would call JJ and it had little to do with their jobs.

"I guess because of this." JJ pressed one on her speed dial immediately connecting her to her boss. Now smiling full-fledged Penelope walked out of the communications liaison's office.

"Yeah, she just called me. I guess she really needs to speak to you." JJ explained. She knew what everyone thought about her and Hotch's relationship, but the truth was they never crossed that line. He was her boss, first, and married second. Regardless of the last few months of his staying later and later and finally the team finding out about Haley moving out, they never said the words to match the feelings in their eyes.

"Okay, be safe." She didn't know why she felt the urge to tell him to be safe. He was in a prison, with the worst of the worst but if anyone could defend themselves it was him. She hung up not hiding the smile on his face. As petty and insecure as it may seem, she liked that he would answer her phone call over Haley's.

Haley was always wary of JJ, even before Hotch and JJ realized what was between them. It was never spoken, but the air took a different feel when they were all together. Morgan once joked that it was like Animal Planet, two lionesses trying to stake a claim.

"Yeah, he almost fought him. I mean he took of his tie and everything." Reid finished as he explained what had happened that day in the prison cell.

"Oh no, not his tie!" Emily joked.

"I felt like I had talked forever just trying to stop them from fighting."

"Who are we talking about?" JJ asked as she handed out some more files that needed to be completed.

"Hotch almost got into a fight with Hardwick." Emily told her.

"What?" She questioned in disbelief. She didn't wait for a response and turned on her heels heading straight to the Unit Chief's office.

Hotch sat on the phone and held his finger up to JJ to wait.

"Yes, Haley, I know we don't really have the money to spend. I just don't want us...okay. You know do what you want. This has all been about you anyways." He slammed his phone down and kept his gaze down as he tried to regain his composure.

"What is it?" His voice was deep and harsh. JJ wasn't going to back down.

"How could you be so stupid? Did you even pay attention to the crime scenes. Hardwick is one disgusting man and you went in there hot-headed because you can't deal with Haley?" She exploded.

"JJ, don't start." He pleaded through his teeth. His emotions, mind and soul was absolutely scattered. He knew he didn't have the patience to hold back.

"No, we need you Hotch, you can't go out there trying to prove your alpha-male status just because your feeling down. We need you." She said again. She pulled her eyes from his, trying to not falter under his glare. He stood, closing the distance between them and pulled her to him. Once their lips connected JJ couldn't help but close her eyes and feel all of him pressed against her. She opened her mouth after a moment to protest, but Aaron took the opportunity to push his tongue into her mouth before pulling away. He held her head in his hands moving her hair behind her ears. Her eyes were watery but she was determined to not let a tear fall.

"I'm sorry she called you, JJ." He said, finally. His voice was defeated. "She knows how I feel about you."

"Do you remember when we first met?" JJ asked seemingly randomly. Hotch stepped back to allow some space between them.

"Sure, when you first started."

" No, we met at a seminar while I was still at the academy. I remember you and Gideon standing together but I don't remember anything you said. I was so star-stuck. You just commanded this presence. Without saying anything all eyes were on you, and you knew it. It was amazing to me."

"Okay." His eyebrows pulled together as he waited for her to get to the point.

"I wanted to run up to you and ask you all these questions, partly because I was actually interested in profiling, but mostly because I just wanted to hear you talk. Almost every girl in the class ran up to you both at the end. But after a few minutes, you locked eyes with one particular woman and pushed past all the girls and pulled her to you and gave her a huge kiss. It was Haley."

"I do remember. She just told me she was pregnant."

"Whatever is between you and I, you have a wife and a son. And that is worth fighting for."

"Is that what you really want?" He asked incredulously.

"It doesn't matter. I know that Haley is a great woman. People don't always get what they want. They sometimes love someone enough to do what's best for them despite maybe never getting the piece of happiness they might have got with them. That's what love is. Go to Haley, tell her how you feel about her." JJ couldn't hold back the tears but as Hotch reached for her she pulled away. She wiped her eyes, nodded to her boss and almost-lover, and left his office.

Hotch stood staring at the spot that JJ stood. How he wanted to pull her to him. Doing what was right was always the answer to him. He never broke the rules. And JJ didn't either. So as long as they worked together they would never be. Part of him hated this job for that. He loved her in ways he never thought possible, he loved her enough to go back to Haley to try to work it out.


End file.
